Metal seal.



V. MAZZATENTA.

METAL SEAL, APPLICATION FILED JAN. 7. 1907.

INVE-NTOR WITNESSES: 5mm

PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VINCENZO MAZZATENTA, Ol TURIN, ITALY.

METAL SEAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 17, 1908.

Original application filed December 14, 1905, Serial No. 291,794. Divided and this application filed January 7, 1907. Serial No. 351,221.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, VINOENZO MAZZATENTA, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Turin, in the Province of Turin, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Seals, of which the following is a specification.

This application is a division of my application No. 291,794, filed December 1 1, 1905.

This invention relates to metal seals such as are used principally in postal, express, and railway service.

The object of the present invention is to provide a seal which may be much more easily applied than thosenow in common use, and in which there is less danger of separation after application thereof.

In the drawings I have shown several embodiments of my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating one form of the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating another form thereof.

According to the present invention the seal is made in two parts, 3 and 5, each of which is connected to an end of a wire or cord 7. The parts 3 and 5 are preferably of such form that one can enter the other. Preferably also the parts have corresponding faces or teeth, 1, 4, 2, 6, which increase the adherence of the parts when pressed.

In applying the seal, one of the parts, as 3, is passed through the device to be locked, and is then placed within the part 5, and the two are then pressed or squashed to cause the parts to adhere. Preferably the part 5 has two grooves 8, 8, into which the cord or wire 7 passes when the parts are brought together. It is found in practice that after compression of the parts it is impossible to separate them without actually breaking them apart.

Instead of the use of the cord 7 which passes laterally through the parts 3 and 5, a metallic strip 9 or other suitable device can be used, as shown in Fig. 2. In this figure the metallic strip is connected to the top and bottom of the parts 3 and 5 respectively.

The seal provided by the present invention has certain advantages over those now commonly in use. In such seals the cord or wire {is passed through small holes in the seal l when the latter is applied. This is a slow and somewhat di'llicult operation. WVhen j the seal is compressed the cord or wire is held only by the friction of the parts, which is often insufficient on account of imperfect compression. I/Vith my improved seal the parts 3 and 5 are joined to the wire during the process of manufacture, and the joining may be made as secure as desired. For instance the cord may be provided with knots or other enlargement around which the metal forming the parts 3 and 5 is cast. In any event the casting of the metal around the cord or wire results in an extremely secure union of the parts. During application the uniting of the parts may be very quickly accomplished, and the pressing operation may be effected with no greater expenditure of time than with the previous constructions. Preferably the seal is made of lead or other soft metal, although a metal of greater hardness may be used, especially if the compressing device is worked by foot power.

Though I have described with great particularity of detail certain specific embodiments of my invention, yet it is not to be understood therefrom that my invention is limited to the exact embodiment described, since various modifications thereof may be made by those skilled in the art without dearture from the invention.

WVhat I claim is 1. A metallic seal formed in two parts,

other, and a flexible connection fastened to the outer part and passing diametrically through the inner part, said outer part being provided with diametrically arranged openended notches coinciding in position with such connection on each side of said inner part whereby when the parts are united said connection lies in such notches.

2. A metallic seal formed of two sections 3 and 5, the section 3 having faces 1 and 4, and the section 5 having a recess provided with faces 2 and 6 for contacting with the faces 1 and 4, and a flexible connection between such parts.

3. A metallic seal formed of two sections one of which is adapted to lie within the- 3 and 5, the section 3 having faces 1 and 4, I In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed and the section 5 having a recess provided my name in the presence of two subscribing With faces 2 and 6 for contacting With the Witnesses.

faces 1 and 4, a flexible connection between VINCENZO MAZZATENTA. 5 such parts, and a notch 8 formed in the part Witnesses:

5 and adapted to receive such flexible con- ZEI-IIE BOZETTO,

nection w H 1 r a r FERRARIS GIOVANNI. 

